Icarus
by SomeknowmeasXeno
Summary: Not all heroes come home. Not everyone gets their happy ending.


39 years ago...

* * *

A lone Dark Angel collapsed to his knees in a lush field. The blue skies had been overtaken by black clouds: shrouding the area in shadow as lightning flashed and thunder boomed. The Dark Angel pushed himself back up, stumbling to his feet. The cool breeze blew through his spiky dark brown hair, his blue eyes narrowing as his grip tightened on the hilt of his large, one-sided broadsword which he had stabbed into the ground for support. Its hilt was wrapped in fine, purple leather and the hilt end and handguard were made of pure silver: the blade honed to a razor sharp edge. The Angel took deep breaths whilst using his broadsword for support, wiping the sweat from his brow with his left arm. He was outfitted in a black chiton, decorated with purple and silver hems with triangular patterns. It was fastened over his right shoulder by a single silver fibula with a purple stone embedded in it, along with a loose purple scarf. He wore the outfit with a purple belt and a silver triangular buckle. Underneath his chiton was a navy blue undershirt and shorts. The Angel also wore a pair of black and silver metal bracers on his wrists, a silver bracelet on his upper left arm, and another silver ring on his right thigh. The worn sandals on his feet were black, decorated with crossing grey bands and fuzzy white trims. He looked up to see the Underworld's army, 1000 strong, on the horizon: hordes of monsters all ready to take him on. He pulled his sword out of the ground. The wind howled in his eyes. He took another deep breath. He stretched his black wings and looked towards the sky. He turned his gaze back to Hade's forces.

"I'm sorry..." The Dark Angel closed his eyes and muttered to himself. "But I must avenge my friends..." His voice was stern, but not gruff: though his fatigue was evident through his words alone. "Whatever happens... live life... live it for the three of us..." He opened his eyes and glared at the army approaching him. "Come and get it!" He dashed forward, charging forth into battle: to meet his fate head-on. But as he rushed towards the monsters of the Underworld, all that he could think about was her, and the son that he knew he would never see. He picked up the pace, sprinting forward with greater speed as the rain began to pour.

* * *

"The gods. What will they think... of us?"

"I don't care... we don't need their approval: why should we? We're happy, that's all that matters."

"I make you happy?"

"Of course. And that's why nothing else matters to me."

* * *

"Aaaargh!" The Dark Angel sliced straight through a Reaper, pressing on straight afterwards and deflecting a barrage of wave shots from a trio of Wave Anglers straight back to them. The Angel leapt into the air, jumping over a Crawler and avoiding its explosive shot: landing behind the tank-like creature and plunging his broadsword into the weak spot located on its back before slicing it clean in half with a follow-up rising strike, broadsword still stabbed into the monster at the time. Her face flashed before him again. Her smile was clear in his mind.

* * *

"I have the most wonderful news."

"Huh? News?"

"Icarus... we're... we're going to have a child. I'm pregnant."

* * *

A swarm of Shootflys rushed Icarus as he jumped from one Skuttler to another, slicing through each one before jumping to the next. He was overwhelmed as they ambushed him mid-jump.

"Grr..." 30 Shootflys battered the Dark Angel between them in mid-air: knocking him around in quick succession as they engulfed and surrounded him. "GET OFF!" Icarus spun around in mid-air with his weapon outstretched: slicing through every Shootfly he could hit during his outburst before flying off and heading straight for the legion of monsters charging at him.

* * *

"You know, even after all this time... I still can't believe I'm going to be a father... I hope I can be a good one, but I don't know anything about kids... all I've ever been good for is fighting."

"Don't speak like that, of course you'll be a good father."

"You really think that, don't you?"

"I know it. We'll give our son a good life."

"Our little boy..."

* * *

"Aaaargh! Argh! Argh! Argh!" Icarus dashed around a Fire Wyrm, striking it repeatedly in multiple places, before reappearing in the blink of an eye and delivering a downwards strike to its face. Icarus landed back on the ground as the Fire Wyrm broke into multiple pieces whilst exploding: only to be sent tumbling along the ground by a charging Armin. Icarus stabbed his broadsword into the ground mid-tumble and halted his momentum, grinding to a halt as his sword left a small trench in the ground as it was dragged through the ground by Icarus as he tried to stop himself from smashing into the boulder behind him due to the Armin's attack. "Grrgh..." Icarus finally stopped and pushed himself back up, using his broadsword as support. "Almost felt that..." Icarus pulled his blade out of the ground and rushed at the Armin.

* * *

"I'll be back sooner than you know it, don't worry."

"Why not just stay? I have a bad feeling about this..."

"My soldiers and friends need me. I can't just send them off to battle and hang back. I'm not that kind of General. You know this. I'll be back soon, ok? I just need to be there for those who won't come back..."

"Well... be careful. Extra careful."

"It's only a few bands of monsters. With any luck our losses won't exceed the double digits. I'll be fine, trust me. Have I ever failed you before?"

"Heheh... no, you haven't."

"Exactly. We'll go beat back the Underworld's forces, save the humans and be back in time for dinner. All in a day's work."

"Alright. You'd better get going then, but stay safe, Icarus."

"You know me, I always do."

"Sure. I hope our son doesn't take on your brashness."

"Hahahah... with any luck, he won't. Goodbye, Medusa."

"Goodbye... please, come back safe."

* * *

"Icarus, you stubborn fool..." Icarus berated himself as he stumbled back onto his feet. He was pretty exhausted by now, having gone through more than half of the 1000 strong army, and he was also rather beat up as well by now. He tightened his grip on his broadsword, holding its hilt with both hands now. "I never did know when to back down..." The last of the Underworld's forces were advancing to him, around monsters 460 left. The pain was searing through Icarus' bones and muscles, sweat dripping from his face. "How the hell did I take so many down already...?" Icarus mumbled to himself. He reaffirmed his stance, steadying himself. "Well... I've took so many on so far and I'm still in one piece..." Icarus smirked. "I like my chances with the rest of you." Icarus' black wings extended out. "Medusa is going to kill me..." His smirk disappeared as he sighed, and with that he launched himself into the air, the sun shining down upon him through gaps in the dark clouds.

* * *

"Goodbye... please, come back safe."

* * *

Icarus flew through the air, slicing apart multiple Shrips and Shootflys: flying from one after the other whilst dodging their attacks. Icarus sliced through one last Shrip before he was suddenly sent crashing down towards the ground by a dropkick from a Collin. Icarus crashed into the field with enough force to create a small crater, sending chunks of the ground flying in all directions and a cloud of dust and dirt to rise up.

"Grr... urghh..." Icarus tried to push himself back up as the dust began to settle but he fell straight back down on his back. His sword had landed to the right of him: its blade stuck in the dirt. "Gah..." He took a few deep breaths. "A sneak attack..." The Collin descended from the skies above, coming to hover just above the crater. "Not... brave enough to take me head on?" Icarus chuckled weakly. The Collin dashed straight for Icarus: kicking him in the gut. "GAARGH!" Icarus coughed, his wind cut off by the attack. The Collin began to repeatedly stomp on him with both feet, smashing the Dark Angel deeper into the dirt. "Grr.. grrgh..." Icarus winced as each blow hit him harder than the last. Darkness came for him, his vision going blurry before finally disappearing: leaving him in the dark.

* * *

"Icarus... Icarus. Icarus!"

* * *

"AAAARRRGGHH!" Icarus's eyes flicked open, his pupils now glowing purple. He blocked the next stomp with his right forearm before sending the Collin flying with a flip: sending it tumbling backwards through the air. Icarus pushed himself up once more as a fiery purple aura engulfed him, cracking up the ground around him. "AAAARRRGGHH!" Icarus clenched his fists and let loose a furious cry towards the heavens. He closed his eyes and lowered his head as thunder struck in the background. Rain began to fall. His aura calmed down, now not as frantic as it was when it had flared up. Icarus opened his eyes as the Collin rushed at him once more. In the blink of an eye he grabbed his broadsword, pulling it out of the ground, and dashed straight for the enemy: reappearing behind them in a split-second, his strike had already been made. The Collin exploded behind him: Icarus had sliced straight through it: his sword now infused with his power. The last 300 monsters closed in on him from all sides. Icarus tightened his grip on his sword, holding the massive blade in his right hand alone. "This is it..." He twirled the broadsword around before resting it, on its blunt side, on his shoulder. "I will not give in yet." He saw Medusa's smile in his mind. He saw her standing there, waving goodbye whilst also rubbing the small bump that had developed on her stomach that evidently showed her pregnancy. "Not when I have something to fight for... something more important to me anything else in this world. More than glory. More than pride. More than the humans. Family!" Icarus charged forward, leaving behind an afterimage as he dashed into battle.

* * *

Icarus dropped to his knees as his aura faded away. The field was barren now and littered with the bodies of the Underworld army. The rain was still falling hard. Icarus was soaked now. Three Collins stalked towards him. He looked up from the mud, his face beaten and bruised. He grated his teeth. He stabbed his sword into the ground and tried to force himself back onto his feet: using the broadsword for support. He fell straight back to his knees and winced. His wings had been broken. His entire body burned with pain. The pain wouldn't stop. His muscles ached. He could barely keep his eyes open. The Collins were getting closer.

"Grr... never... give... in..." Icarus's aura appeared once again, flaring up one last time as he stumbled to his feet. He took his sword in both hands and with one last swing sent out a giant purple energy wave that destroyed the last three Collins. He'd did it. He'd won. Icarus managed a weak smile. "Heheh... don't underestimate... an Angel... especially... me..." Icarus chuckled before he dropped his sword and fell backwards: crashing down into a puddle. The rain still fell. The cold wind blew. Icarus laid there, unable to move himself. The pain didn't bother him now. He was busy. Busy trying to keep that image in his mind. The image, the image of Medusa's heartwarming smile to him. The last he saw of her, and their unborn son. "Son..." Icarus mustered up the strength to speak. "You... are... my living legacy... look... look after your mother for me... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'll never be able to see you... see you grow up. I'm sorry I'll never be able to play with you. Train with you. I'm sorry I won't be there... but I know... I know you'll be great." The rain was still pouring down. Icarus took a pained, deep breath. "You were right, Medusa... I am a brash fool... heheh... how I ever got to be your General... mystery to me... but... I'll... always be with you... I'll... wait an eternity for you... just to see your smile again... goodbye... I'll... always lo... love... you..." Icarus' eyes closed. His heart stopped. He died with a smile on his face.


End file.
